This invention relates to a method and apparatus for producing nitride products, such as products comprising silicon nitride. In another aspect, the invention relates to such a product.
Various nitride powders, such as silicon nitride, are useful as advanced ceramic materials in the fabrication of highly stressed, wear resistant ceramic parts, such as those employed in heat engines, turbo-charger rotors and heat exchangers. Although synthesis techniques such as those involving plasma and laser heating of gaseous reactants have successfully produced submicron nitride powders, it would be desirable to synthesize sinterable nitride products in a manner better suited to economical, large scale synthesis. In this regard, it is particularly advantageous to minimize the formation of deposits on walls of a nitride reactor so as to thereby minimize down-time for removing such deposits.